Protect Yourself and Report the Latest Frauds, Scams, Spams, Fakes, Identify Theft Hacks and Hoaxes
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Have you received an email from "Schleswig-Holstein Lotto" telling you that "your email address won in the second category" or something similar, and to contact "Mr. Stevens Herbert" to collect your winnings? It is a scam. There is a real "Schleswig-Holstein" lottery, in Germany, but they certainly would not have offices in London! And No legitimate, legal lottery notifies winners vian email (see footnote) The scammers may change the names and details, but it is still a scam!
Below is the example of the fake email scam (the email is the scam, not any persons or companies named in the email) claiming to be from the "Schleswig-Holstein Lotto".
Although the most important clue is that no legitimate lottery will ever email a winner, there are many other signs that this is a fraud. We have highlighted some of these in the email below, not the least of which are:
Email address ballot: There is no such thing as a "computer ballot system" or "computer email draw". No one, not even Microsoft has a database of email addresses of the type or magnitude they suggest.
"No tickets were sold": You care to explain where the money comes from? Perhaps the lottery money fairy? Why would a lottery give away money to "email address randomly selected by a computer ballot draw system"? This is CLEARLY nonsense: you MUST, repeat MUST buy a ticket to have a chance of winning any lottery!
Terrible spelling, punctuation, syntax and grammar - Scammers apparently don't know how to use spell checkers. We assume they dropped out of school before that class. They use almost excessive and random CapItaLiZAtion. Names are usually in all capital letters for some reason known only to these illiterate criminals. They often can't even spell "February" or know that "22th" ought to be "22nd". These scammers usually write at the 3rd grade level. Being non-native English speakers, they also often get first names and surnames (last names reversed), so you will frequently see names like "Mr. SMITH JAMES.", instead of "Mr. James Smith", along with the peculiar usage of periods (full stops) and spaces or the lack thereof. Real lotteries also proofread their emails and look and read more professional.
Using free email account: The scammer is writing to you from a FREE email account (Yahoo, Hotmail, Excite, AIM, Gmail, etc.). Don't you think a real organization would use it's own email, it's own domain and website?
Keep Confidential - Real lotteries THRIVE on publicity - they don't want you to keep anything secret - the publicity causes people to buy more tickets. there is NO risk of "double claiming" because they can validate where the ticket numbers were sold. The scammer want you to keep quiet because they don't want the police or ConsumerFraudreporting to hear about them! It should read: "For our own security, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential until we have finished scamming you!"
Email notification: NO REAL LOTTERY SENDS AN EMAIL TO NOTIFY WINNERS. Period. Full-stop. End of story. There mere fact ALONE that you received an email saying you won a lottery is proof that it is a scam.
Here is a typical scam lottery winning notification.
Dear Winner,
This is to acknowledge receipt of your email.Schleswig-Holstein Lotto draws was conducted from an exclusive list of 30,000,000 e-mail addresses of individual and corporate bodies picked by an advanced automated random computer ballot search from the internet as part of our international promotions program which we conduct every year. No tickets were sold.
After this automated computer ballot, your e-mail address attached to ticket number 6239771 drew the lucky numbers 5-3-14-7-5-3 which consequently emerged you as one of first fifty (50) lucky winners.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of €1,000,000.00 (One Million EURO) in cash credited to file SHL/Spiel-77. This is from a total cash prize of €50 Million Euro shared amongst the first fifty (50) lucky winners in this category.
You are required to send the necessary information in full as regards your chosen option to effect the remittance of your winnings to your designation.
Be informed that your funds are currently deposited in an offshore bank with a hardcover insurance.
If you are unable to come directly to office, you can make a telegraphic transfer of your funds to your private bank account. You can also employ a courier service company to deliver your winning cheque to your home or office address.
To make a telegraphic transfer of your funds to your private bank account, you are required to send your name and address in full, phone number, and banking details so as to facilitate the transfer of your funds to your nominated account.
If you choose to employ a courier service for the delivery of your winnings, you are required to send your name, phone number, mailing address (home or office address), so as to facilitate the release of your Funds to your designation.
Note that all winnings must be claimed by the beneficiary.
Congratulations once again from all members and staff of this board and thanks for being part of our promotions program.
Yours faithfully,
Mr. Stevens Herbert
Schleswig-Holstein Lotto
Information and Payment Bureau:
London Representative Office.
Tel: + 44 701 115-0676
Fax: +44-870-974-2645
Click here for the huge list of the names of the currently identified lottery scams companies
* Re: emails of winnings. We know of only ONE exception in the world to this rule - and if you bought a ticket from them, you would know it, and would not be questioning it.